Raeger the Wizard
by Chaos Inventor
Summary: Some things are better left unknown.
1. There Is A Thief Amongst You

Chapter One: There Is A Thief Amongst You

It was a calm day in the restaurant. There weren't too many customers, but it was nice like that.

Raeger was in the kitchen, about to serve up an order one of those customers had made, when suddenly, the entrance door opened so fast it almost flew off its hinges.

Klaus, Elise and Mistel all tried to enter at the same time and got stuck in the doorway. They tried to push each other out of the way, all eager to get in first.

Eventually, they all managed to fall into the restaurant and they looked around for a place to hide.

There was nowhere particularly useful for that, so they ran over to Raeger to ask if they could hide behind the counter. One look at Raeger's face told them the answer was going to be no.

The three very nervous individuals turned back to the dining area and wondered what to do.

Klaus sat in a corner with a menu in front of his face. Elise ran to the far end of the restaurant and sat where the lighting wasn't so good so she wouldn't be so noticeable.

Mistel looked around, but since he couldn't see anything he could do to hide, he sat down at a table in the centre of the room and tried to look normal.

All the customers watched this scene play out, confused. Raeger also watched, but he just sighed and muttered to himself, "What's going on this time?"

Raeger served the meal he'd been cooking to his customer and then went around, asking Klaus, Elise and Mistel what they would like to order.

They were all absent minded and stammered a lot when trying to recover their minds from wherever they were. Then they made their order. All three of them ordered very light.

At least Klaus was polite to order actual food; Elise and Mistel just ordered drinks.

Raeger sighed again as he returned to his kitchen. Not only was something going on and that something was going on in his restaurant, but he wasn't even going to get any business out of it.

The restaurant fell into silence; not the calm silence of before, but an ominous, bated breath kind of silence. Klaus, Elise and Mistel were always looking around in a paranoid way.

Before Raeger could deliver any of them their orders, although he wasn't too keen to get it to them fast anyway, there was the second disturbance of the day.

Agate swooped in through a window, which broke with a loud crash, rolled onto the floor, stood up and looked very fearsome. Everyone stared at her in utter shock.

"There is a thief amongst you," she said.

"Well, I'll be off!" Fritz said and headed for the door.

"Hold it right there!" Agate snapped. She leapt towards the door and grabbed Fritz's arm before he could escape. "Hand it over," she continued, expecting Fritz to be the thief.

Raeger walked over and after watching Agate make some threats and Fritz struggle in silence, he said, "Just pay up, Fritz."

Fritz miserably handed Raeger money and fled. Agate looked from him to Raeger, confused.

"He just wanted to avoid paying his bill. I know by now," Raeger said. Then he turned around and, pointing to Klaus, Elise and Mistel, said softly, "The thief is one of those three."

"How do you know?" Agate whispered back.

"They're acting really weird," Raeger answered.

Agate stood firmly, looking around at all the customers, keeping a watchful eye on the three suspects Raeger had pointed to.

Klaus was wearing a bigger coat than usual, with enough room to hide something within...

Elise had her hands behind her back, as though she were holding something...

Mistel had a bag with him which definitely seemed to have something inside it...

Any of them could be the thief. Agate didn't know where to start, but picked at random.

Agate walked over to Klaus and said, "Hey, Klaus. I noticed that for a few days you've been heading to the safari... Looking around... Casing the joint?"

"Casing the joint? Who do you think I am? I may have been to the safari a few times, but I didn't think I was frequenting in a suspicious manner," Klaus said.

"Maybe not, but... That coat you're wearing today... I know you're hiding something under it," Agate said.

"Excuse me? It's a bit chilly today. That's all," Klaus countered.

Agate didn't have anything to say to that. It was colder than usual today. "Look, I don't know if you know this, thief, wherever in the room you might be," Agate said, although she remained staring at Klaus the entire time, "but what you took is very important. Very."

"...I'm sorry. I lied to you. The truth is... I helped the thief. They needed to get to the safari without you finding out, so they asked me to get them there," Klaus admitted.

"I see... and who is the thief?" Agate asked.

Klaus didn't say anything. He looked very, very slowly around the room, and when he glanced at Elise for a moment, she snapped, "How dare you?! It's not me!"

"...He didn't say anything," Agate murmured. She turned her investigation to Elise.

"It's not me!" Elise shouted again.

"Then why have you gotten so defensive?" Agate asked.

"Because, um, Klaus accused me!" Elise said.

"He really didn't. He just looked at you for a second," Agate said.

"Fine... Klaus helped me get to the safari, but I didn't steal anything!" Elise said.

"Why did you ask Klaus for help? Why not someone else?" Agate wondered.

Elise laughed and replied, "Well, you see, Klaus has a very particular set of skills, skills he has acquired over a very long career-"

"Enough about me!" Klaus interrupted, not wanting anyone to know any more. He was so nervous about it, he snapped at Elise, "You're the thief!"

"Just give me what you're hiding behind your back," Agate said.

Elise continued to struggle wordlessly for a few moments and then gave up. "Okay, I'm the thief! But I... I had to get this! There's something I really need but the guy who's got it said he'd only give me it if I traded it for this thing from the safari," Elise explained.

"It's okay. Just hand it over and it'll be okay," Agate said.

Elise took the crystal ball out from behind her back. Agate was disappointed.

"You're not who I'm looking for," Agate sighed.

"I'm not?" Elise asked.

"I don't care about that crystal. And if no animals attacked you for stealing it, I'm pretty sure it's okay that you took it. You didn't have to "steal" it," Agate said.

"...So I can keep it?" Elise asked excitedly.

"Of course you can," Agate said and turned back to the rest of the customers.

Agate thought back to who Raeger had thought were suspicious. Mistel was the only one remaining. Agate looked over to Mistel.

That cute, innocent face. He wouldn't steal anything! Or would he...?

Immediately, Agate suspected him.

Agate walked over to Mistel and said, "Well, well, if isn't the thief."

"What makes you think it's me? Because you ran out of other suspects?" Mistel replied.

"I was building up to you. Interrogating everyone around you to make you nervous, slowly closing in on you," Agate lied.

"It's a shame since I'm not the thief," Mistel said.

Klaus and Elise looked at each other, both realising the truth simultaneously, and said to Agate, "He's the thief. He was the first to suggest we sneak into the safari."

"Thanks a lot!" Mistel shouted at them.

Agate looked at the bag Mistel had with him. She knew what she was looking for was in it. As long as she got it away from Mistel, she'd have everything under control.

However, as she reached for the bag, Mistel noticed and snatched the egg inside away.

"You can't have it! It's mine!" Mistel snapped.

"Yours?! How could it be yours? It belongs to an animal at the safari!" Agate shouted.

"It's perfect for my collection!" Mistel replied. It was a stunningly beautiful egg.

"So you plan on keeping it? What would you do when it hatches? You don't even know what's inside!" Agate said.

"...Then I guess I just won't let it hatch," Mistel said after thought.

"Murderer!" Agate shouted.

Mistel lept to his feet and started running with the egg. Agate chased. They ran around and around the restaurant, no one else daring to interfere.

Finally, Agate caught up with him and her only way of stopping him was tackling him to the ground. As Mistel fell, he let go of the egg and it flew into the air.

Agate and Mistel couldn't get up in time to catch it and both of them watched the egg, horrified.

Klaus and Elise both ran to catch the egg but collided with each other and fell to the floor also.

Everyone watched the egg fall, knowing they couldn't stop it, for they were too far or too scared or otherwise incapacitated, until Annie, who'd been trying to stay unnoticed during the entire ordeal, finally decided this was the time to interfere, leaped forward and caught the egg.

Everyone sighed with relief.

Agate jumped to her feet and said, "Thank you, thank you, thank you so much, Annie!"

Annie handed the egg over to Agate. Then Agate turned and thanked Raeger as well for his help.

"You're going to pay for the broken window, right?" Raeger said.

Agate glanced at the window and then grabbed Mistel's arm with her free hand. "We have to go!" Agate said, dragging a resistant Mistel out of the restaurant.

"Where are you going? Come back here! Who's going to pay for the window?!" Raeger questioned.

Everyone in the restaurant started exiting awkwardly.

"Where are you all going?! **Come back here!** " Raeger shouted.


	2. Why Does Your Food Taste So Good?

Chapter Two: Why Does Your Food Taste So Good?

On another day, Annie returned to the restaurant. She stood at the counter beside Fritz(who was also there but wasn't eating) and made an order. They watched Raeger while he cooked.

"The other day was pretty crazy, huh?" Annie said.

"Eh. Not really. I'm used to it," Raeger replied.

"What?! Does that kind of thing happen often around here?" Annie asked.

"No, but... it happens enough that I'm not surprised," Raeger said.

Before Annie could reply, Raeger set down her order on the counter in front of her. She decided to focus on eating rather than small talk for now.

Fritz watched in despair as she ate. He watched her plate and mouth intently. Annie slowly stopped eating because she was disturbed by Fritz's staring.

"Why are you staring at me?" she asked him.

Fritz was going to apologise but he was too hungry to make any noise beyond whimpering. His stomach answered for him, by growling loudly.

He turned back to Raeger and said, "Come on, Raeger! Think of it as charity! Feed me!"

"Well, okay, let's check the best before date on this... Ah yes, expired several days ago, that's why I was going to throw it out. You want some?" Raeger asked him.

Fritz was going to cave in and say yes, so Annie said, "Have some of my food, for goodness sake."

Fritz beamed at her and said, "You're the best, Annie!"

He grabbed an extra fork and ate almost half of what was on her plate in a few moments. Afterwards, he retreated and murmured, "Uh... sorry."

"...Don't worry. I'm not that hungry. Well, not as hungry as you, anyway," Annie said.

Raeger decided now was a good time to throw some things away so he started gathering empty bottles and such, as hardly anything stuck around long enough to expire.

Annie ate a little more and wondered how Raeger's food managed to be the best she'd ever eaten. She waited for him to get back and when he did, she asked, "Where did you learn how to cook?"

"Well, I don't know if you want the truth, but," Raeger murmured.

"...What? Why would I want you to tell me lies?" Annie questioned.

"I've never told anyone the **truth** ," Raeger said.

Annie and Fritz stared at Raeger in confusion. "Just tell me the truth," Annie said.

"It's kind of a long story, but okay," Raeger said, and began his tale.

"Before I took over the restaurant, I went on a journey," from this sentence alone, they could tell that this story was not a normal story.

"One night on this journey, a stranger wandered to where I'd set up camp. He was a wizard with much to say. He had a cloak of gold and eyes of fire. His voice was gentle but... inspiring. It was the most magical thing I've ever experienced," Raeger said.

Annie and Fritz felt inspired just listening to Raeger recount his story.

"He told me about the world, about the misery others felt, about the suffering, and told me just how wonderful happiness really is. I knew then that I wanted to bring joy to others so I came here to cook for anyone who's feeling down. Unless it's Fritz," Raeger said, adding the bit at the end with laughter.

"Um... so, where did you learn how to cook?" Annie repeated.

"Huh? Oh, I forgot to mention that the wizard taught me magic, didn't I? I'm a wizard in my own right by now, I suppose," Raeger said.

"So, the food is magic?" Fritz questioned, confused.

"Not exactly..." Raeger murmured.

"Why are you so reluctant to answer? What's in the food?" Annie asked.

"It's drugs," Raeger admitted. Fritz's and Annie's jaws dropped, but Raeger's confession didn't end there. He continued, "They're... illegal in many places."

"Raeger, you have to stop! You can't put that stuff in your food!" Fritz shouted. Seeing a chance to eat, he took some more of Annie's food and then continued, "Don't stop. Whatever you do, don't stop adding that stuff to your food, because you will lose all your customers if you do."

Raeger laughed and said, "That's what I was always after; food so addictive you can't stop eating!"

"You are literally drugging the entire town. Stop laughing," Annie growled.

"Are you going to finish that?" Fritz asked, pointing to Annie's meal.

"Not any more, no," Annie replied, pushing the plate to Fritz who ate what remained and then licked the plate clean.


	3. There Is No Dragon At The Safari

Chapter Three: There Is No Dragon At The Safari

Annie was spending a lovely day at the safari when she heard a noise she'd never heard before. Curiously, she looked up and saw a terrifying sight.

A dragon flew overhead and towards the horizon. Annie screamed and ran for her life.

Only the next day when she had finally calmed down again did Annie go and inform Agate.

"What did you just say?" Agate asked when Annie had spoken.

"I said, I saw a dragon at the safari yesterday," Annie repeated.

"...You're kidding me, right?" Agate replied. She started laughing.

"No. I'm serious," Annie said.

Agate slowly stopped laughing. She stared at Annie in confusion and then said, "You must be under a lot of stress or something, Annie. **There are no such thing as dragons.** "

After hearing Raeger talk about magic the other day, Annie was now convinced dragons were real. And she needed to do something about it.

A few days later, she returned to the safari and put up a sign to warn others. "Here Be Dragons," the sign said.

Agate saw what Annie was up to and ran over to her.

"What do you think you're doing? You can't do that!" Agate snapped.

"And why exactly not?" Annie asked.

"Because there are no dragons here! You're going to scare people away!" Agate answered.

"It's probably safer for them that way," Annie said.

Agate confiscated the sign so Annie returned and set up a new "Here Be Dragons" sign. It always took Agate a few days to find where the next sign had been set up, so soon word spread that there were dragons at the safari.

Agate tried to quell the rumours and remind everyone dragons weren't real, but she found that everyone already thought the rumour was ridiculous anyway. Only Annie believed it.

Agate tracked Annie down to change her mind.

"Annie, you can't seriously believe there's a dragon here. And if you continue to put up these signs, I won't allow you to come back to the safari. **Ever** ," Agate warned.

Annie sighed and took her sign away. She accepted Agate's conditions. She knew nobody believed her. And she knew nobody ever would... unless she got proof.

Which is what she set out for, secretly, away from Agate's wary eye.

Annie went looking for a place a dragon might nest, perhaps a cave that was large enough to house it. She searched for any activity that might suggest a dragon was in the vicinity.

And she found nothing. But she didn't give up.

Finally Annie found one mysterious artifact which she thought was sufficient evidence.

"Take a look at this!" Annie said, forcing the item up in front of Agate's face.

"What? What is it?" Agate replied.

"It's a dragon scale! Obviously!" Annie retorted.

"What do you mean, obviously? There is no proof here. Whatever it belongs to, I doubt it's a dragon," Agate sighed, turning the scale over in her hand.

Annie grabbed the scale back from Agate angrily, thinking what she should do next. Eventually, she smiled and said, "I'll get Mistel to inspect it. He'll tell me what it is!"

"...If it **is** a dragon scale, how would he be able to tell? Your plan makes no sense," Agate said.

Annie walked away grumbling to herself.

Agate knew Annie hadn't given up so she went looking for what trouble she'd get up to next. She found Annie sitting in one spot at the safari, observing the area, waiting for the dragon to show up.

She returned there every day, documenting every change she found in the area she was watching.

Agate worried. She knew Annie was getting closer to the truth. The true truth, that is.

The next time Annie wanted to head for the safari, Agate said, "Annie, there's something I'm going to tell you. I want you to promise me you'll stop looking for any dragons afterwards."

"Unless it's the truth, I can't make any promises," Annie replied.

"It is the truth. But you need to understand, I can't just tell anybody this. You have to promise to keep it a secret," Agate said.

Annie thought about it for a moment and then said, "Okay. I promise."

"...There is a dragon at the safari. And like any endangered species, there are people who want to hunt them down. I've been protecting it for now, but if you draw attention to it, bad people might come looking for it," Agate explained.

Annie was shocked. She had never thought of it like that.

"I swear the dragon won't harm anyone. But you can't go around telling people there's a dragon there at all. Otherwise... bad things will happen," Agate said.

"I promise I won't! I'm sorry, I didn't know," Annie apologised.

Agate felt relieved to have someone she could share the secret with, but she still seemed troubled. Annie wondered if this was because Agate didn't fully trust her.

Perhaps she was right not to trust her. Because Annie couldn't leave the matter there.

After hearing from Agate that the dragon wouldn't harm her, Annie was determined to see the dragon again. She was sure it would be a beautiful or fearsome creature. Either way, it would be too amazing to pass up the opportunity to see.

Annie sneakily returned to the area she'd been observing, where she thought the dragon would live. There was a cave perfect for a dragon there, so Annie approached it, wondering whether the dragon would be there today or not.

What she found inside was not exactly what she had expected.

There was a dragon inside, a huge, fierce looking dragon, but it was curled up like a cat, surrounded by a whole lot of safari animals, which made it look cuddly.

Annie stared in shock and when the dragon noticed her, it stared back. As Annie stared, she finally realised what was the most shocking thing of all about the dragon.

"Agate? Is that you?!" Annie asked.

The dragon tried to hide her face in her claws, but it was no use.

"You weren't supposed to find out! Why do you have to be so curious?!" Agate cried.

"Agate! You're so adorable!" Annie squealed.

"Oh! Well... thank you," Agate murmured awkwardly.


	4. Annie's Always Causing Trouble

Chapter Four: Annie's Always Causing Trouble

Raeger did not visit the safari normally but today was different. When he arrived, he looked around eagerly, but saw nothing in particular.

He asked Annie and Agate, "Where's the dragon?"

"There is no dragon," Annie lied.

"You mean, there really isn't? I've always wanted to see a dragon," Raeger said, disappointed.

Annie turned to Agate and asked rapidly, "Can I tell him? Can I tell him? Can I tell him?"

"No! I don't want people to know! I can't just trust anyone!" Agate snapped.

"It's okay, Raeger's a wizard," Annie replied.

"You're not supposed to tell anybody that!" Raeger shouted.

"It's okay, Agate's a dragon," Annie replied.

"I told you not to tell anybody!" Agate shouted.

"Well, I guess it's too late now. You both know," Annie said.

Raeger and Agate looked at each other again, wondering whether to believe Annie.

"So what kind of wizard are you? The kind that wanders around, making philosophical speeches? Or the kind that uses magic to solve all your problems?" Agate asked.

"The kind that cooks food," Raeger answered.

"That doesn't make any sense," Agate said.

"Well, what kind of dragon are you? The kind of dragon that's not really a dragon and is just pretending to be a dragon?" Raeger retorted.

"Do you even know how much of my power I'm using to appear to you in a human form? A lot, okay?" Agate replied.

"I think that's enough for today," Annie said, standing between the two, hoping they wouldn't start a wizard-dragon fight.

They left the safari.

It was days later before Annie decided to ask Agate more questions about her dragon heritage.

"What's it like being a dragon?" Annie asked.

"What do you mean? It's normal for me," Agate replied.

"How different is it in dragon form than human form?" Annie questioned.

"Not very. I'm bigger as a dragon and I can fly," Agate explained. Then she added, "I don't know what you want to know!"

"What about your parents then?" Annie asked.

"We're all dragons. You know, pretty much all dragons go around in human form to avoid suspicion. There's nothing particularly interesting about us," Agate said.

"Well then... what about that egg? The one Mistel stole the other day?" Annie asked.

"Oh, that. That's a dragon egg," Agate answered.

"But then... is it yours? Oh my goodness, who's the father?!" Annie gasped.

"It is **not** mine! My parents sent it over. They want me to raise my little brother or sister at the safari," Agate explained.

"There really isn't anything interesting about dragons," Annie sighed, disappointed.

"We're just normal people. Apart from the fact that we're not human," Agate said.

And that was that. Or at least, that would've just been that...

A little less than a week later, a group of bizarrely dressed travelers arrived in Oak Tree Town. Everyone who saw them watched as they walked past and then quickly left the area, hoping they weren't noticed. Seeing the strangers made people feel very worried and... afraid.

They definitely weren't from any of the trade depot countries. Nobody knew where they were from.

The group made their way to Annie's farm and knocked on the door of her house.

"I don't really want to buy anything today," Annie sighed as she opened the door but fell silent when she saw who was standing there.

"We're not selling anything," the traveler at the head of the group said.

"...Uh, sorry. What did you want?" Annie asked nervously.

"You're the one who put the sign up at the safari that said "Here Be Dragons," right?" the same traveller asked.

"Er, maybe. Maybe I am," Annie mumbled.

"Don't fret, pet," another traveler said. "We'll handle it from here."

"Handle what?" Annie asked.

"Why did you put up the sign?" the first traveler asked, ignoring Annie's question.

"It was a joke," Annie said. She was certain the travelers could see through her lie from the way they looked at her.

"Well, don't do anything like that again," one of the travelers said and the entire group began walking away.

Annie could hear them talking as they walked away. They probably weren't even trying to keep their conversation to themselves.

"She's clearly terrified. Let's head for the safari," they said.

Annie wanted to run straight to Agate and warn her but she waited until the travelers were out of sight before racing off.


	5. A Very Particular Set Of Skills

Chapter Five: A Very Particular Set Of Skills

Agate was nowhere to be found. Annie asked Veronica at the guild hall but she had no clue where Agate was.

However, Klaus was there. He walked over to Annie and said, "Are you worried about Agate? I knew those travelers were looking for her."

"How did you know?" Annie asked.

"I know stuff. Anyway, do you want to check if she's at the safari?" Klaus guessed.

"Yeah. How did you get there without Agate's help when you went with Elise and Mistel?" Annie asked.

"I have a horse," Klaus replied.

"Let's go then!" Annie said.

They rode on Klaus' horse all the way to the safari.

Annie's first thought was to check the cave Agate rested in in her dragon form, so she led Klaus there. Agate, in her human form, was there, trying to clear the cave.

She was terrified when she heard them coming but calmed down when she saw who it was.

"You know they're here then?" Annie asked.

"I've known for days. I was informed that..." Agate stopped mid sentence and stared at Klaus suspiciously. Eventually, she continued, "That they'd been sent for me."

"Why didn't you run? You stayed exactly where they'd come looking for you," Klaus pointed out.

"I know, but... can I speak to you alone for a moment, Annie?" Agate said.

She pulled Annie aside and asked, "Does Klaus know I'm a dragon?"

"I have no idea. He knows something, but I don't know what," Annie replied.

"I can't tell him right now if he doesn't know. But if he does, it'll save a lot of time," Agate murmured.

"Let's just presume, for now, that he doesn't know," Annie said.

They turned back to Klaus.

"What are you planning on doing now?" Annie asked Agate.

"I can't leave the safari. I'll have to find a way to hide from the hunters," Agate said.

"Hunters?" Annie gasped and then whispered, "Dragon hunters?"

Agate nodded and then Klaus asked, "Why can't you leave?"

Agate glanced at Klaus a moment before answering, "You know the egg Mistel stole? I can't leave it here, but I can't take it away from the safari."

"Then I guess you have no choice. But how will we deal with the hunters?" Annie asked.

"I think I can help there," Klaus said.

"How so?" Annie asked.

"I can keep them at bay. You try and get Agate somewhere safer," Klaus suggested.

"Okay. Go check if you can see them outside," Agate said.

Klaus left the cave and Annie said to Agate, "Can't you deal with the hunters? You could just turn into a dragon and breathe fire on them all."

Agate sighed at Annie's simplicity and growled, "If I could do that, there wouldn't be a problem, would there?! Contrary to popular belief, dragons can't breathe fire. That's a myth."

"Still... wouldn't you be stronger in your dragon form?" Annie said.

"I use up so much of my power just being in human form. If I changed back, I'd have to wait a few days to restore my strength. I hate to say it, but I can't protect anyone right now, not even myself. I have to have others protect me," Agate said.

"Oh... Well, don't worry. Klaus and I will protect you," Annie said.

"Annie... I guess I've never said this but... you're a good friend," Agate said. Then she turned away slightly and said quietly, "I just want you to know that, in case I don't live through this."

Before Annie could react, Klaus entered the cave again and said, "They're closing in."

Annie looked outside and could see the group of dragon hunters in the distance. She turned back and saw Klaus taking off his coat and throwing it aside.

"What are you doing?" Annie asked as Klaus practiced shadow boxing. "You're not really thinking about fighting them, are you?!"

Klaus walked over to Annie, put his hand on her shoulder, and said nothing except, "Trust me."

Then he walked outside. Annie followed him.

Klaus approached the group, with Annie remaining at a distance, when he faltered a moment.

"Wait a second, there are ten of them? That's more than I remember seeing before... I can still deal with them," Klaus said.

The ten dragon hunters all unsheathed their swords from the scabbards strapped to their backs. Klaus lowered his fists and stared. "Swords... Are you kidding me?" he murmured hopelessly to himself. "I can't do this."

But he raised his fists again and prepared to face the oncoming foes.

"Come on, Klaus! This is ridiculous! You can't fight them!" Annie shouted.

Klaus turned to face her and said, "If I don't make it out of this alive, I just want you to know-"

" **No!** Nobody is going to die today! I won't let that happen! You don't have to fight," Annie said.

"But I must. And you must go help Agate escape," Klaus said.

Annie turned around slowly, slowly, so slowly, trying not care. Maybe they wouldn't fight Klaus. Maybe they'd just talk to him. She headed back into the cave.

"Klaus is distracting them. So what are we going to do?" Annie asked.

"You think I have a plan? I don't. I guess... we have to go somewhere I can keep the egg warm," Agate said.

"Maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea to take the egg out of the safari until the hunters are gone," Annie suggested.

"No. It might be days before then, and I'm pretty sure the egg will have hatched by then. It'll be too dangerous getting the baby dragon back here if that happens," Agate replied.

"We'll have to look for another cave then," Annie decided.

Agate ran to get the egg and things she could make a nest with while Annie listened to the sounds outside. She was horrified. She wanted to block out the noise, but she couldn't.

Then there was silence. Annie was even more terrified then.

She peered outside, expecting to see ten dragon hunters standing over Klaus. But Klaus was still standing. All the dragon hunters and Klaus were looking over to where a newcomer had appeared.

Annie ran outside to see what was going on.

"I heard there was a dispute going on, so I brought food," Raeger said, beside him a table on wheels, piled high with food.

"Is he serious?" the dragon hunters asked each other.

"Seriously, eat!" Raeger answered.

One dragon hunter cautiously walked forward and tasted one dish. Soon enough, all the dragon hunters were eating their fill. Klaus took the chance to regain his breath.

Annie ran over to Klaus, worriedly looking over the sword wounds he'd sustained.

"How did you survive? Ten against one, and they all had swords!" Annie questioned.

"...You don't need to know," Klaus replied coolly.

Annie and Klaus, and Agate was beside them now, looked over to Raeger, wondering what he was doing. The dragon hunters were stuffing themselves now, hardly remembering why they were there.

"Now that you've eaten, you can think clearly. How about we make a deal?" Raeger suggested.

The dragon hunters glared at him.

"You have to think about this from Agate's point of view. If you were Agate, would you want to be hunted down? I don't think so! So why don't you not do it? And if you ever come back, I'll make a special meal for you all at my restaurant! You have to promise not to hunt Agate when you return, though," Raeger said.

The dragon hunters all thought about it for awhile and then promised they wouldn't hurt Agate.

Annie was horrified. "If World War Three happened, Raeger would be able to stop it just with his food," she said.

The dragon hunters went on their way and Raeger walked over to Agate.

"The kind of wizards that cook food are the best! Thank you so much!" Agate whispered.

"How about you repay me by showing me your real form? I really, really want to see a dragon," Raeger said softly.

"Maybe another time. Not with Klaus standing right over there," Agate murmured.

Annie was fretting over all of Klaus' cuts but Klaus assured her he would be all right.

"Now that that's over, do you want me to take you back to town?" Agate asked Annie.

"No. You go on ahead," Annie replied.

Agate was very confused. She walked away, while Raeger had already vanished(having used his magic to transport himself to and from the safari zone).

"Why are you staying here? Is there something you still have to do?" Klaus asked.

"Um... Well, there's your horse," Annie said.

"I can take my horse back myself. Why didn't you leave with Agate?" Klaus continued.

"I thought we could ride back together again," Annie said.

"...Oh," Klaus said, watching Annie blush.

Agate suddenly jumped up, making Annie and Klaus realise she was still there.

"I'm so sorry for eavesdropping! I thought... it... never mind!" Agate stammered and ran away.


	6. Mama Mistel

Chapter Six: Mama Mistel

It was a quiet day at the safari. Since Annie wasn't there, and almost nobody else ever went, the park was peaceful. Somebody was there, though.

Mistel was returning to the scene of the crime; the cave he'd stolen the egg from.

He moved slowly, quietly, hoping Agate wasn't nearby. He entered the cave and saw the egg was there again. He picked it up, determined to keep it. Agate wouldn't catch him this time.

He held the egg close to himself as he looked around the cave and then headed for the exit.

Mistel felt very sneaky but also very pleased when he looked at the egg that was so perfect for his collection. Only then did he notice the egg was moving.

Actually, it was hatching. Mistel couldn't move for fear of what might hatch out of the egg. He waited, unable to leave the egg behind and run.

Slowly, the creature inside the egg attacked the shell until it broke out and Mistel saw the tiny dragon within. He couldn't tell it was a dragon at first.

He was terrified. But also mesmerised.

The little dragon shivered and cried out for its mother; a little mew. Mistel thought it looked cold and brought the egg closer to himself. The dragon cried happily and pressed itself against Mistel's body for warmth. Mistel was enamoured.

He had finally figured out that this creature was probably a dragon, but it didn't matter much to him.

It was around this time that Agate realised she hadn't checked on the egg in awhile.

She ran to the cave to check in and was shocked by what she found. Mistel was completely busy playing with the baby dragon.

"What are you doing?!" she snapped at him.

"I'm so, so sorry I said I wouldn't let this hatch, because this is **the cutest thing I have ever seen!** " Mistel said as the little dragon climbed up onto his head.

Agate ran over to Mistel and took the dragon off of his head. "You will stay away!" she warned.

"You can't take her away from me!" Mistel cried.

"How do you know she's a girl?" Agate questioned.

"I just know!" Mistel said with his hand over his heart as though the answer had come from within.

The baby dragon was crying out for Mistel as well.

Agate realised then that the dragon she was supposed to raise had already bonded with somebody else. She sighed.

Agate held out her little sister dragon to Mistel and said, "You do realise she thinks you're her mother, right?"

"I don't care," Mistel replied as the dragon climbed back onto him.

"Maybe you will care when she grows up and wants you to teach her how to fly," Agate said.

"But, I mean, I can't do that!" Mistel protested.

"She's not going to care that you **can't**. She'll trample you underfoot if you get in the way. And what are you going to feed her?" Agate questioned.

"Well, I thought... Wouldn't she just find food for herself?" Mistel asked.

"She's not eating **my safari animals**!" Agate shouted angrily.

Mistel looked at the tiny little dragon that would grow up to cause so much chaos and smiled. "Okay, I'll do it," he said.

"What?" Agate replied, surprised.

"I'll figure out how to teach her to fly. And I'll get her food," Mistel said.

"Do you know how much a full grown dragon eats?" Agate asked.

"I'm guessing it's a lot. A lot a lot. I'll still do it," Mistel insisted.

"Please stop. Please," Agate said. She sighed and continued, "She's my dragon. I have to take care of her. But... what if I let you visit her?"

Mistel grinned and accepted the deal. "Can I name her?" he asked.

"Uh, no. That's up to her parents!" Agate replied. Mistel didn't understand at all. Agate sighed again and said, "I guess you can give her a nickname that we call her by."

"Okay, I'm going to call her Artemis," Mistel said immediately.

Artemis nibbled on the edge of Mistel's cloak hungrily. Mistel felt nervous, imagining a fully grown dragon trying to eat him. Agate took out a turnip which Artemis ate rather reluctantly.

After that, Agate watched Mistel and Artemis play together again and felt envious. She was disappointed in herself that her sister had already bonded more with Mistel than her.

Her mother had given her one job and she had already failed it.


	7. You're An Imposter!

Chapter Seven: You're An Imposter!

After Artemis had hatched, Agate invited Annie and Raeger to see her as well. Raeger insisted that Agate return to her dragon form and then said he could definitely see the family resemblance.

Moving along, Annie was feeling a little under the weather one day and so she headed for the clinic. She found Angela inside, poring over documents intently, her face serious and focused.

She looked up at Annie when she entered and seemed glad she was here. "Annie, can you go and get Raeger for me?" she requested.

"Why?" Annie asked curiously.

"I just discovered something disturbing about him," Angela answered.

Annie was further intrigued. "Disturbing? What is it? Tell me! I'm friends with Raeger, you know, so you can tell me," she said.

"Hmm... I suppose you might even be able to tell me what's going on, so I will tell you. First of all, in all of Raeger's life, he's never been sick," Angela began.

Annie nodded, knowing it was Raeger's magic that kept him healthy(although it didn't occur to her that Raeger hadn't always been a wizard).

"I was suspicious too," Angela continued, even though Annie hadn't said anything about being suspicious, "so I decided to look into it. I know of one other town Raeger has stayed in in his life, so I asked for all his medical records there to be sent over. And it turns out he's over there as well!"

"...Huh?" Annie replied.

"I mean, there are two Raegers!" Angela explained.

Annie's eyes widened. "HUH?!" she said again.

"Exactly. I think our Raeger's an imposter. He acts so strangely sometimes... So can you bring him here? I want to ask him for the truth himself," Angela said.

"O... okay. Do you mind if I talk to him first?" Annie asked.

"I suppose it makes no difference who confronts him first. Go ahead," Angela replied and Annie raced off for the restaurant.

Annie ran in and walked into the kitchen. Raeger was not pleased. He was about to tell her to get out but she got her word in first.

"What's this I hear about there being two of you?!" she shouted.

"...Keep your voice down... and tell me what exactly you are talking about?" Raeger asked, very confused.

"Raeger's in another town. You're an imposter! At least, that's what Angela thinks," Annie said.

"Oh. Oh... I **really** hoped this wouldn't get found out," Raeger muttered unhappily.

"So, what's the truth? Explain yourself," Annie demanded.

"I guess I have to tell you. Unless... I mean, are you sure you want to know? After I tell you this, you'll never be able to look at me the same way again," Raeger said.

"Agate is a dragon. If I can deal with that, I can deal with whatever you throw at me," Annie replied.

"My grandfather isn't actually dead. I **am** my grandfather," Raeger explained.

Annie didn't look directly at Raeger as she stared, deep in thought. After awhile, she said, "You're really serious, aren't you? But why do that?"

"Why do you think? If I'm going to live forever, I don't want to wander the world as an old man. I wanted to be young again. And I wanted to keep the restaurant. So I told everyone I'd died and my grandson had arrived to take over," Raeger explained.

"It's just... so hard to believe. I mean, you look so young... and handsome... It's weird," Annie mumbled.

"I told you this would happen," Raeger said knowingly.

"I'm cool!" Annie snapped.

"No, you're not. But listen up. This is way more personal than the wizard thing, so you've got to promise you don't tell anyone. Ever. I mean, I don't even really care if people know I'm a wizard. But this has got to stay secret," Raeger said.

"Okay, okay. But what are you going to say to Angela?" Annie asked.

"I'll sort that out," Raeger assured. He looked around the restaurant and said, "Let me deal with the last few customers and then let's head to the clinic."

"I really hope nobody overhead our conversation," Annie whispered, only now realising there were customers in the room.

"I wouldn't worry. Magic, remember? I cast a spell to mute pretty much all our conversations," Raeger said.

"Oh, okay!" Annie replied. Then she sat and waited for Raeger to finish his work.

After that, they went to face Angela.

"So, you've finally arrived," Angela said when they entered the room.

"Sorry about the delay. I had work to finish up so I couldn't run straight over," Raeger explained.

"I have work I need to do as well and waiting for you to show up is not how I intended to spend my time!" Angela shouted.

"I know. So, how about I make this quick and just tell you the truth?" Raeger said.

Annie stared at him in shock. He couldn't be serious. Angela waited patiently.

"I'm a wizard," Raeger said.

"A wizard?" Angela replied.

"Yes, a wizard," Raeger repeated.

"You mean...?" Angela murmured.

"I mean, I do magic in my spare time. I'm a chef first and wizard second. That's why I don't get sick," Raeger explained.

Annie was shocked that Raeger had decided to let Angela in on his secret.

"So you can be in two places at once?" Angela asked.

"Yeah! Magic!" Raeger answered.

Annie was relieved when she realised Raeger hadn't planned on telling Angela the entire truth.

Angela was still sceptical. She peered at the two of them over her glasses. Raeger walked over to her and motioned for Annie to do the same.

"What are you doing?" Angela asked when they had surrounded her.

"Now, Annie!" Raeger shouted. Annie had no idea what to do, but since Raeger had grabbed one of Angela's arms, Annie grabbed the other. Angela struggled for a moment and then gave up.

"Now, obviously you can't go around telling anyone. Do you promise to keep this a secret?" Raeger asked.

"How do I even know you're telling the truth?" Angela questioned.

"If weird stuff keeps on happening in town, you'll see it for yourself soon enough," Raeger replied.

Angela's arms were starting to hurt from Raeger and Annie's tight grips, so she said, "Fine, I'll keep your secret. Who would I tell anyway? I don't think anyone cares about this kind of thing."

"Only because they don't believe in wizards," Raeger said.

"Why won't you let go of me? I said I'd keep your secret!" Angela shouted.

Finally Raeger released his grip and Annie soon followed.

"I'm never recommending your restaurant to anybody!" Angela snapped, rubbing her arm where it was sore.

"Now that I think about it, that was a little excessive. Anyone else who found out, you never forced them to keep quiet like that," Annie said.

"But it's Angela... She doesn't seem like she'd be quick to make a promise," Raeger said.

Angela looked upset so Raeger added, "I'm sorry. How can I make it up to you? How about a free meal? And I'll invite everyone who knows I'm a wizard over so you can talk to them about it!"

"How many people know you're a wizard?" Angela asked.

"Just two others," Raeger said.

Angela imagined being part of their little secret group and smiled. She turned away so they didn't see, though.

"That's everything, right? I'll be going then," Annie said.

She opened the door of the clinic to leave and terrified someone standing outside. They ran away and Annie called out after them, "Sorry!"


	8. A Declaration Of War

Chapter Eight: A Declaration Of War

The person standing outside the clinic when Annie opened the door was one of Elise's workers. They ran all the way back to Elise's mansion and called to her, "Miss Elise! I have something important to tell you!"

"Can it wait?" Elise asked impatiently.

"No, it cannot. There's a wizard in town," the worker said.

Elise ran over to the worker with wide eyes. " **A wizard?!** " she asked.

The worker nodded furiously, glad Elise was paying attention.

"Well? Who is it?" Elise questioned.

"...I don't know. I overheard people talking at the clinic. One confessed to being a wizard. I have to admit... I didn't recognise their voice. It was a man's voice. I was going to look inside to see who it was, but then the door opened and I ran away," the worker explained.

"Useless! I'll have to figure it out myself!" Elise snapped. She wondered who could help her in this task and then suddenly called out, "Nadi!"

She ran outside, calling, "Nadi!" She ran all over her property, calling for him, expecting someone working would know where he was. None of them did.

She ran into town, calling, "Nadi!" She ran all over town, asking everyone if they knew where Nadi was. Nobody did.

Elise was running out of patience by now. Where in the world was he?!

Nadi was, in fact, in Elise's garden. He had heard Elise calling his name from the beginning and immediately decided to hide. He didn't know what Elise wanted but he had already decided he wouldn't help.

Elise returned home after searching for Nadi awhile. She found the worker who had informed her there was a wizard in town and asked them, "Did you recognise any of the other voices?"

"Well, I know Angela was there," the worker answered.

Elise set off for the clinic at once. Angela was still there, alone now. Elise burst through the door, startling Angela.

"What's the matter?" Angela asked.

"Sorry to disturb you in this manner but I have questions for you," Elise said.

Angela stared at her, wondering what was happening.

"Who's the wizard, Angela?" Elise asked.

"...What did you just say?" Angela replied.

"I know there's a wizard in town. A worker of mine overheard your conversation with him. So fess up. Who's the wizard?" Elise demanded.

"I have no idea what you're on about," Angela said.

Elise raced over to her and grabbed her collar to show she wasn't messing around. "Answer the question! I won't leave you alone until I know," Elise hissed.

"I'll never tell you! Why don't you go ask Annie? She was there too, so she knows. She'd crack under the pressure faster than I would," Angela advised.

Elise glared for a few moments and then left the clinic, heading for Annie's farm. Angela sighed shakily, feeling very nervous. She was sure she would have cracked under the pressure faster than Annie would.

At Annie's farm, Elise knocked impatiently on her door. Annie was working in her fields at the time, so she walked up behind Elise and said, "Why are you calling on me, Miss?"

Elise was startled. She spun around and said, "I was just talking to Angela."

"Hmm?" Annie replied, feeling this could only lead to something bad.

"I know there's a wizard in town," Elise continued.

Annie gasped and shouted, "How could she tell you?! She promised she would keep it secret!"

Elise paused a moment and then decided to go along with Annie's misunderstanding.

"She told me everything! She was only too willing," Elise laughed.

"And I thought he should have been more trusting... I've got to warn R-" Annie stopped herself just before she spoke Raeger's name.

Elise was staring at her expectantly.

"Why are you here then?" Annie asked instead.

"Just to tell you that I know," Elise said, thrown off by Annie catching on.

"You don't know, do you?" Annie said.

"...I know there's a wizard in town. Why won't you tell me who it is?!" Elise roared.

"He's my friend! I won't betray his trust!" Annie shouted.

"Even that helps narrow it down, you fool," Elise said.

Annie clasped her hands over her mouth and refused to say another word.

"Just tell me who the wizard is!" Elise demanded.

"Are you talking about Raeger?" Fritz asked. He happened to be walking past just then. Annie couldn't think of a worse time.

Elise grinned and left Annie's farm, victorious, while Annie glared at Fritz.

Back in Elise's mansion, Elise was busy scheming. "So... Raeger's the wizard... How am I going to deal with him? I know! Nadi!" Elise said.

She ran outside, calling, "Nadi!" She ran all over her property, calling for him, but since everyone working had no idea where he was, Elise knew he wouldn't be found.

"Where did Nadi disappear to?! Just when I need his help!" Elise shouted.

Nadi was, in fact, in Elise's mansion. He had overheard her schemes and knew Raeger was a wizard. He quietly made his escape from the mansion and continued hiding.

Everyone who saw him told him Elise was looking for him. He said he'd go find her right away and then ran in the opposite direction.

Later that day, since Nadi had been hiding for so long, he headed for Raeger's restaurant to get something to eat.

While he was eating, Nadi looked around the restaurant and since nobody else was there, he paused from his meal a moment to say, "Hey, Raeger. Elise knows you're a wizard."

"What?! How did she find out?!" Raeger questioned.

Nadi shrugged. "I thought you'd want to know," he said.

"Well... how come you know?" Raeger asked.

"Heard her talking to herself," Nadi answered.

"Soon the whole town's going to know!" Raeger sighed.

"I guess if you need help, you can ask me," Nadi said.

"Thanks," Raeger said.

Nadi finished his meal and was about to leave when he turned back to say, "Oh, and if Elise comes by, don't tell her I was here."

Nadi walked to the door but it opened just then and Elise walked in.

"Damn it," Nadi muttered.

" **Nadi!** I've been looking all over for you! Where have you been?!" Elise shouted.

Nadi looked at his wrist and said, "Oh, would you look at the time! I've got work that needs to be done."

Elise watched him run out of the building and slowly said, "He doesn't even wear a watch..."

"Is there something you wanted?" Raeger asked.

"I want you to get out of town," Elise said.

"How impolite!" Raeger replied.

"There's only room for one magician in this town," Elise said.

Raeger looked a little closer at Elise and then said, "Oh... Your aura is very weak. I didn't realise you were an amateur magician!"

"Don't call me an amateur!" Elise shouted.

"If I had known, I would have been willing to tutor you!" Raeger laughed.

"Be quiet! I'll deal with you and then everyone will know I'm a far greater magician than you ever were!" Elise snapped.

"How are you going to do that, amateur?" Raeger mocked.

"There are some things you don't need magic for. You just need money!" Elise said.

"Hang on a second. You need to calm down so we can talk this out. Don't resort to a petty rivalry! I'll make you some food," Raeger said.

"Don't even think about it! I won't be tricked by you. I will not rest until you're out of this town!" Elise declared and left the restaurant.

"You have no respect for your elders," Raeger sighed.


	9. Who Can Bribe Nadi More?

Chapter Nine: Who Can Bribe Nadi More?

Elise refused to give up her rivalry.

A long time ago, she had declared war on all magicians that chose to stay in the same town as her. This was her town. No one else's.

Elise began her attempts to remove Raeger from Oak Tree Town by sabotaging his reputation. She sent in undercover spies to ruin his food or shipments heading for his restaurant.

Raeger always managed to turn things around. Whether it was with his magic or just his natural charm, he always turned things around.

Elise was enraged at every failure and each time, she tried to destroy Raeger's reputation more violently. Raeger got sick of it.

Since Elise had tried so many times, he decided she deserved a taste of her own medicine.

Nadi was in Raeger's restaurant again when he realised Nadi was the perfect spy to employ.

"Hey, Nadi. You said you'd help me if I needed help, right?" Raeger began.

"What's the problem?" Nadi asked.

"You must know by now that Elise has been trying to kick me out of town," Raeger said.

"Yeah, I think everyone in town knows that by now," Nadi replied.

"Well, do you want to help me get revenge?" Raeger asked.

"...What kind of revenge?" Nadi asked, a little interested.

"Since she's trying to destroy my reputation, we have to do the same back. With your job, you could make her entire property look like a joke," Raeger said.

Nadi thought about it carefully and then shook his head. "I'd just be destroying my own reputation! No one would ever take me seriously again!" Nadi snapped.

"Don't discard the idea so quickly! We can set it up so Elise thinks it's someone else! I can promise I'll make it worth your while," Raeger said.

Nadi shook his head firmly. "No. Elise might not be the best person in the world, but I'm not doing this. I don't want to get involved in a wizard battle anyway," he said.

"Come on! I'll give you free food for the rest of your life!" Raeger said.

"Stop trying to bribe me!" Nadi shouted.

He stood up and left the restaurant suddenly.

Later that day, he was back at Elise's mansion, where Elise was watching him closely. Ever since he'd disappeared, she always made sure to keep him in her sights.

Slowly, she walked over to him and said, "I heard you went by Raeger's restaurant earlier."

"Keeping tabs on me now? Oh, by the way, Raeger tried to bribe me," Nadi said.

"To do what?!" Elise questioned.

"Sabotage you," Nadi replied.

"But you... didn't accept it?" Elise murmured.

"I know I said I wouldn't help you with anything magic related, but it doesn't mean I'm going to turn against you," Nadi said.

"Good point. Why don't you help me sabotage Raeger?" Elise asked.

"I said I wouldn't help you with that stuff! I don't want to get involved with you people!" Nadi shouted.

"I thought you hated wizards!" Elise said.

"That's in the past. I don't care any more," Nadi muttered.

"If vengeance isn't enough to turn you against Raeger, maybe money will?" Elise offered.

"You're trying to bribe me now? Stop it! I will not be bribed! I don't want to get involved in a wizard battle!" Nadi shouted.

As sabotage attempts continued, Elise and Raeger's war turned completely into attempts to ruin the other's reputation. That's all they cared about by that point.

Even though Raeger and Elise were busy working against one another, everyone else's life went on like normal. Annie visited Raeger and asked him how things were.

Raeger looked tired. Annie had never seen him like this. Maybe the tolls of war was getting to him. Elise might just win.

"Hmm? Oh, I'm fine. I've just been staying up every night, thinking up ways to ruin Elise's life," Raeger explained.

"That's it? I thought it was more than just lack of sleep," Annie said.

"You worry so much about me... It's sweet," Raeger said.

"Hey! It's nothing! I just worry because... you're really old!" Annie snapped, embarrassed.

"Not so sweet now," Raeger sighed.

"Raeger... did you ever get a chance to teach anybody how to cook?" Annie asked suddenly.

"Huh? Well..." Raeger murmured.

"You never got a chance to teach anyone magic either, right? Do you think... you would want to?" Annie asked.

"...Maybe," Raeger said.

Annie stared at the ground, a thoughtful expression on her face. Raeger started to worry after she hadn't spoken in a long time. Annie usually didn't stay quiet very long. This was the longest Raeger had ever heard her say absolutely nothing.

"Are you okay, Annie?" Raeger asked.

Annie still didn't reply. She looked up for a moment, smiled slightly, and then walked away.


	10. Leaving The Nest

Chapter Ten: Leaving The Nest

Trouble was clearly brewing with Artemis. She was hungry. Hungry for something more than turnips. A hunger turnips could not satiate.

Agate was worried about how to deal with it. She visited Annie's farm to ask for her help. When Annie answered the door, Agate was quick to the point.

"Hey, Annie? Do you mind selling me some of your sheep? My sister's really hungry," Agate said.

"I won't give my sheep away knowing they're going to be eaten! But... what has Artemis been eating up until now?" Annie questioned.

"I've been trying to raise her as a vegetarian, but she doesn't like it. So I thought I'd get her something else as a treat," Agate said.

"Well, I... I don't want to give up my sheep... But I don't want Artemis to go hungry..." Annie murmured, torn between the two options.

"Never mind, Annie. I'll buy them from somewhere else. I only asked you because I don't know how long Artemis will wait before attacking the safari animals," Agate said.

"Do you really have enough money to buy that much food for her?" Annie asked.

"I'm a dragon. I have a gold hoard," Agate replied.

"Oh. So that's a thing. All right then. If Artemis returns to a vegetarian diet, I'll sell you some of my crops!" Annie said.

"Thanks! See you around," Agate said and left.

Now and again, Agate, Mistel, Annie and Raeger would all gather at the safari, since they were the only ones who knew about Artemis.

Raeger had already made it clear he preferred fully grown dragons but he was eager to spend time with the small Artemis.

On this particular day, Raeger was attempting to show his prowess at befriending magical creatures by holding Artemis in his arms. Artemis definitely seemed to approve of him; stretching up and licking his face.

Although her tongue was rough and quite horrible against his face, everyone else in the room was impressed by Raeger's charm. Raeger himself was impressed until Artemis became too friendly and her tongue went into his left nostril.

He exclaimed and dropped Artemis in surprise.

Artemis had never fallen before and when she hit the ground, she was so surprised by the impact that she started crying out, more in shock than pain.

Agate and Mistel leapt to attention, maternal/paternal instincts kicking in. They both tried to pick Artemis up and comfort her but ended up struggling over her.

Raeger was too busy feeling violated to do anything. Annie watched Agate and Mistel for awhile and then turned to Raeger, asking him if she could do anything to help.

"Get me out of here," Raeger requested.

And so went most of their gatherings with Artemis.

There didn't seem to be any consequences to anyone's actions until one day when Iris approached Agate while she was getting ready to leave for the safari. Agate wondered why Iris looked so worried.

"What's the matter?" Agate asked quickly.

"It's my brother... He's been acting so strangely," Iris sighed.

"What do you mean?" Agate asked.

"You must know. He's been going to the safari so often lately. It's so unlike him. Out of nowhere, he suddenly became obsessed with going there," Iris explained.

"I haven't noticed anything unusual though," Agate said.

"Maybe it's because he's my brother. But he's become so distant. As though he's lost in another world. He's never been like this before. I can only think of one reason... He's fallen in love, hasn't he?!" Iris stated.

Agate said nothing. She thought about Mistel and Artemis... In a way, it was love.

Iris presumed from Agate's silence that she was unaware of her entire meaning. "Didn't you know?" Iris asked.

"Um... Know what?" Agate asked, confused.

"I thought... if he's visiting the safari so frequently, wouldn't that mean he's fallen in love with you?" Iris said.

Agate laughed, a little nervously, and shook her head. "That's not the case. Trust me," she added.

"Oh... If you're so sure, then what has caused his sudden change in attitude? Why is he visiting the safari so often?" Iris questioned worriedly.

"Iris? I think it would be better if you didn't pry so much. Do you really have to interfere with Mistel's life?" Agate said.

"But... but..." Iris murmured.

Before Iris could come up with a reply, Mistel entered the room. Iris saw him and at first, wasn't sure what to do.

Then she walked over to him, hugged him, and said, "I guess you had to leave the nest eventually!"

As Iris left the room, Mistel and Agate stared after her, completely baffled.

"What just happened?" Mistel asked.

Agate shrugged. She hadn't a clue.


	11. Someone Like You

Chapter Eleven: Someone Like You

Whenever Annie went to Raeger's restaurant, she hardly spoke. She hadn't spoken properly to Raeger in some time. Raeger was really starting to get worried.

He kept on asking her what was wrong but she never answered.

Annie started becoming quiet around other people as well. She was always lost in thought.

"Has Annie told you what's wrong?" Raeger asked Agate.

"She hasn't really spoken to me in awhile either," Agate replied.

"Do you have any idea what it might be about?" Raeger asked.

"You said she started acting like this after talking to you? Must be you then," Agate said.

"You think I offended her? But to this extent? She won't even talk to anyone else!" Raeger said.  
"Okay, no, I don't think that. That would be ridiculous. I have no idea what she's thinking," Agate sighed.

Annie spent most of her time on her farm nowadays. She couldn't face the people in town too often. Everyone presumed she was working hard but if they stopped by her farm, they would see she spent most of her day sitting in the midst of fields, staring into space.

It was becoming too much.

Everyone asked her what was wrong when they saw her. She always shrugged in reply.

Eventually, progress was made.

Klaus arrived at her door one day and invited her to his house to eat lunch. Annie would have liked to have refused, but it was Klaus, so she accepted.

Annie wasn't very keen on eating and stared at her food more than she ate it.

"Annie... You can't keep going on like this. Everyone knows something is wrong. You have to tell someone," Klaus said.

Annie so wanted to tell someone at this point. She just wished it hadn't been Klaus. But she couldn't keep it inside any longer.

"I'm... I'm just so scared. There's something I want to say... Something I need to say... But I'm so scared... I'm so sure I'm going to be rejected," Annie said.

Klaus was startled. "...Well, you... you can't say nothing. You have to get it out in the open. Otherwise you won't be able to do anything," he said.

"...I have to. I know I do. I'm going to try," Annie swore. "Thank you for the lunch, by the way," she added, even though she knew she hadn't eaten most of it.

"Take the rest with you," Klaus offered and Annie obliged.

Klaus watched Annie leave sadly, a little disappointed she liked someone else.

The next day, Annie returned to Raeger's restaurant. She walked up to the counter and Raeger waited for her to make an order. She didn't.

"You can't completely stop talking to me. You can't make an order if you don't!" Raeger said.

"I'm just trying to decide what to say! Raeger... can we talk privately?" Annie asked.

"Nobody can hear our conversations, you know," Raeger reminded her.

"I know, but... I still want to talk alone," Annie murmured.

Raeger finished up all the work he had left and then closed the restaurant momentarily.

Annie and Raeger walked along for awhile. Annie still couldn't find the words.

They walked and walked until they were at the bridge. Annie finally faced Raeger and spoke.

"Just so you know, no one will have to worry about me after this. Because this is the thing I've been thinking about so much recently," Annie said.

Raeger was relieved. "So, what is it?" he asked.

"Well... you see... Your magic is really cool... I mean, you're really cool too," Annie mumbled.

"Um, thanks. But why are you saying this?" Raeger asked.

Annie took a deep breath. "I want to be like you, and be a wizard too!" Annie said.

"Are you serious?" Raeger asked.

"I know I don't seem like a good student. I'm just a farmer and I make stupid mistakes. But I want to be confident and wise like you are!" Annie said.

"Annie... I'm so glad! I always thought you'd make the best student!" Raeger said.

"Really? Me?" Annie asked, disbelieving.

"The only person I can think of who I'd rather teach than you would be my own grandson... So I'll gladly take you on!" Raeger said, smiling broadly.

"And... while you're at it, can you teach me how to cook too?" Annie asked.

Raeger laughed and nodded.

"...But why do **you** want to teach me so much?" Annie asked.

"Because... you're so cute?" Raeger replied.

Annie's face turned red quite quickly. "You're... messing with me, aren't you?" she murmured.

"This is what I mean when I say cute," Raeger said.

Annie saw the sincere look on Raeger's face and couldn't deal with it. "I'll see you later!" she said and ran away. Raeger laughed softly to himself and then sighed.

 **To be continued** (one day when I actually have the game and play it for myself)

(Thank you for reading! Congratulations if you made it all the way through!)


	12. An Unlikely Hero

(I know I said I wouldn't continue this until I'd gotten the game, but Lillie is the only marriage candidate I haven't written about yet, and I want to do that before I get the game. So I have another chapter after this one. Without further ado:)

Chapter Twelve: An Unlikely Hero

Shortly after Annie returned to her usual self, the dragon hunters from before showed up in town again. This time, they came for Raeger's food.

Unlike before, they did not emit a terrifying aura, so the townspeople were not afraid to approach and talk to them.

One of the people who spoke to the dragon hunters was Melanie.

"Where are you from?" she asked them and they told her about their home country.

It was a cold place, filled with many interesting creatures. Those interesting creatures included the people there. Melanie could certainly see what they meant by that, just by looking at the travellers.

"What do you do?" she asked them.

And they told her they were dragon hunters, although a lot of them were thinking about giving up the trade after their last visit to Oak Tree Town.

"...Dragon hunters?" Melanie murmured in confusion.

"Yes, we hunt and capture dragons. We usually slay the beasts," one dragon hunter explained.

"Oh, but I think I'm interested in flower arranging. Don't you think?" a second dragon hunter said.

"I'm definitely going to get into the food industry," a third dragon hunter said, lifting another forkful of Raeger's food to their mouth.

The first dragon hunter shook their head exasperatedly, listening to their colleagues.

"...Dragons?" Melanie continued to murmur in disbelief.

"Yes, dragons. The last time we were here, we were looking for the dragon at the safari," the dragon hunter said.

"So you're telling me there really is a dragon at the safari?" Melanie asked.

All the dragon hunters nodded their heads.

"Did you capture it?" Melanie asked.

They shook their heads and laughed, as though they were just telling a wild story to an imaginative child. Melanie knew they were just trying to mess with her...

And yet...

The dragon hunters passed through town, leaving Melanie with her thoughts.

She wondered: if there really was a dragon at the safari, then might Oak Tree Town be in danger? If this dragon required ten dragon hunters to capture it, then it must be a fearsome beast. And they had just left it alone!

If that dragon decided to leave the safari one day and fly over to Oak Tree Town, there was nothing to stop it from destroying the town! And nobody cared!

Melanie was certain something had to be done. But would anyone help her? She decided to go and ask.

"Lutz! I need your help with something," Melanie began.

"Help with what?" Lutz asked.

"Help with capturing the dragon at the safari!" Melanie explained.

Lutz sighed and walked away.

"Where are you going?" Melanie asked.

"I don't have time for this. I'm going somewhere more important," Lutz grumbled.

"This isn't just a stupid game! The town could seriously be in danger!" Melanie declared.

"Actually, it **is** stupid, and I'm leaving now," Lutz replied and walked away.

Melanie crossed her arms and grumbled to herself.

"I guess I'll have to do this alone," she decided and ran home.

Then and there, Melanie began to devise a plan to capture the dragon. She knew Lutz would have been better at it, but in the long run, she didn't need his help.

She wrote down all the possible plans she could come up with in a book that she hid from everyone else. When someone entered the room, she had to quickly hide it.

"Lillie, do you know why Melanie has been acting so secretive recently?" Maurice asked.

"...I was just about to ask you the same thing," Lillie replied.

They both tried to keep a close eye on Melanie after that, but she just became more elusive.

Melanie was lying on her bed one day, looking at the plans she'd written up in her little book, and realised she couldn't capture a dragon alone.

No matter what, she couldn't do it. She would need supplies for making a net; a net that could hold a dragon. And how was she going to set up this net to catch the dragon?

No matter what, Melanie was going to need an ally. So she began to write a list of all the people who might be able to do it.

She was still adamant to keep this all a secret from her sister and father, so she left their names off the list. And as for Lutz, he wouldn't have been any help, not really.

Melanie set off with her list and asked the people on it if they would help her capture a dragon.

Every one of them laughed at her over-active imagination and said they didn't have time just now. Each time this happened, Melanie crossed their name off her list with less hope.

Among those names listed was Nadi's, so Melanie headed to where Nadi was within Elise's garden.

"Excuse me, Nadi, are you busy?" Melanie began.

Nadi waved the pruning shears he was holding to show that he was at that very moment working, but then lowered them and said, "Not really."

"Okay then, will you help me capture a dragon?" Melanie asked.

"What the heck? A dragon...?" Nadi mumbled and then finished with, "I've got work to do."

Nadi stopped himself then. Part of his work now was to listen to Elise's elaborate schemes and then repeatedly refuse to ruin Raeger's life, or refusing to help Raeger ruin Elise's life. Any excuse to avoid that was worth doing.

"...Maybe later," Nadi said to Melanie.

Melanie left grumpily, but she didn't cross Nadi's name off her list.

One by one, Melanie crossed all the names (except for Nadi's) off her list, until she'd gone through them all. She sighed disappointedly. All that work for naught.

Melanie knew now she only had one option.

"If nobody else will help me capture this dragon," she murmured to herself.

She raced over to a tree and snapped off a branch. Then she collected a rubber band and cut it. She sat down and worked with the branch and rubber band until she had assembled herself a slingshot.

She stood up again and finished her sentence. "Then I'll have to do it myself!" she declared.

She picked up a stone to test her slingshot with, and when she let the stone fly, it smashed through a window. Melanie yelped.

"...First thing's first: practice aiming," she said softly.


	13. No Egotistical Wizards In This Chapter

Chapter Thirteen: No Egotistical Wizards In This Chapter

Melanie practised with her slingshot every day. She set up a target outside the inn and shot stones at it until she finally started hitting the target.

Lillie was returning from the city one day and saw her sister practising. Confused, Lillie entered the inn and was going to ask her father about Melanie's behaviour.

She approached Maurice, pointing out the window where Melanie was visible, but before she said a word, Maurice was already shaking his head and responding, "I don't have a clue."

"It's so strange... It's so unlike her," Lillie murmured worriedly.

Come the weekend, Lillie was lying in bed in the morning.

She looked over to the window with the curtains drawn and decided that since she never slept in, today she would. Just this once.

Just as she was about to drift off back to sleep, Maurice was at her side and calling, "Lillie, wake up!"

Lillie rolled over and looked around groggily.

"Have you seen Melanie this morning?" Maurice asked.

"I'm not even awake. Why would I have?" Lillie mumbled.

"I... I was just hoping... never mind. Melanie's missing. She isn't in her bed," Maurice explained.

Lillie's eyes shot open.

"Wait, wait, what?" Lillie questioned.

"I don't know where she'd be so early. She's just missing," Maurice said.

Lillie jumped out of bed and at once, she and her father set off to check either side of the town.

On that same morning, Elise had been struck by inspiration. She had come up with her next plan to ruin Raeger's reputation. She'd gone around and informed all her staff of their roles in this plan. And she had a specific job for Nadi to do.

Of course, the moment Nadi heard Elise was looking for him, he decided today would be an "avoid-Elise" day.

As he walked stealthily through the town, he saw Lillie running along in a panic.

"...Are you okay?" Nadi asked.

Lillie stopped and walked over to Nadi. "Have you seen Melanie today?" she asked.

"No," Nadi answered. Lillie hung her head. "What's the trouble?" Nadi asked.

"She's missing. You wouldn't happen to know why she'd been acting so strange lately, would you?" Lillie asked.

"She mentioned a dragon to me the other day," Nadi said.

"You think this has something to do with that?" Lillie questioned.

"She seemed pretty serious about it," Nadi replied.

"...I'll keep that in mind," Lillie said thoughtfully.

Nadi was also thoughtful for a moment, and then he said, "Do you need any help?"

"Would you help me look for Melanie?" Lillie asked.

"Sure," Nadi said. Now Elise **couldn't** ask him to help with her new scheme.

Lillie led them to all the places Melanie would go, but she wasn't in any of those places. They ran into Maurice a few times on their search.

Once they'd gone to all the obvious and some less obvious places, Lillie despaired, "Where in the world could she be?"

"Well... if she really is looking a dragon... Didn't Annie say a long time ago that there was a dragon at the safari?" Nadi said.

"...You think she went to the safari? Hmm... That's not a bad idea," Lillie said. "Let's go ask Agate!" she added and they set off.

Agate was surprised by Lillie and Nadi's sudden appearance. "Need something?" Agate asked them.

"Agate, we're looking for Melanie. We think she might be at the safari," Lillie said.

"...Well, I didn't take her," Agate said.

"Maybe she tried to go there alone," Nadi suggested.

"That's really dangerous. Is there any reason you think she's there?" Agate asked.

"She might be looking for a dragon. You know how Annie was talking about that dragon at the safari? Maybe that's what she's looking for. Um... Agate? Are you all right?" Lillie asked.

Agate was in shock and looked kind of sick.

Suddenly she became serious and said, "I'll go find her! You stay here!"

"Hang on! We can come with you!" Nadi said.

"I need to know she's all right!" Lillie cried.

"Oh no, it's fine! I'll do this alone!" Agate said and left without them. Lillie and Nadi had no choice but to stay behind.

So then, as midday approached, Melanie was prowling the safari in search of a dragon. She had her slingshot at the ready, when she heard Agate's voice call out, "Stop right there!"

Melanie spun around and squealed in surprise.

"What do you think you're doing?! It's really dangerous to come here without me," Agate said sternly.

"I have to find the dragon! Nobody else is going to help me capture it, and we have to stop it before it attacks the town!" Melanie shouted.

"Melanie... A dragon wouldn't do that," Agate said.

"And what do you know about dragons?" Melanie questioned.

Agate knelt down in front of Melanie and continued, "I'm a ranger. I know everything about animals. And dragons are just like all the other animals. It wouldn't hurt anyone for no reason. In fact, I'm looking after it, so it won't hurt anyone ever!"

"Are you... telling the truth? Or just messing with me like everyone else?" Melanie asked.

"I'm serious. Even Annie promised to protect the dragon and keep it secret, you know?" Agate said.

"I... In that case... I'm sorry! I won't hurt the dragon!" Melanie swore.

Agate felt like laughing as she realised how similar Annie and Melanie were. When she'd admitted to Annie that dragons were real, Annie had apologised and made a promise just like Melanie.

Melanie slowly looked up at Agate and said, "Wait a second... are you saying dragons **are** real?!"

"...You didn't believe they were?!" Agate asked.

"I don't think anyone believed Annie when she went around talking about dragons. I was just playing a game. But you're saying dragons are real?!" Melanie asked with her eyes as wide as they could go.

"...Okay yeah. Dragons are real," Agate sighed, giving up. Melanie gasped.

After the shock had passed, Agate said, "You should spend time with Annie. I'm certain you two would get along."

"...I was going to ask Annie to help me with the dragon, actually but... she's been acting kind of strange recently. I didn't want to bother her," Melanie mumbled.

"Oh. Well, I think she's okay now, so you should talk to her!" Agate encouraged.

"She's better? That's good!" Melanie said happily.

Back in town, Lillie and Nadi were still waiting. When Agate returned with Melanie, Lillie was so relieved to see her little sister that she ran over and hugged her.

"Don't do that again, Melanie!" Lillie cried.

"I'm sorry," Melanie whispered back.

Lillie let go of Melanie and turned around as Nadi started to walk away. "Thanks for helping me, Nadi," she said.

"Whatever," Nadi mumbled. It had been worth it to help Lillie, he thought. It had given him something to do for the day other than hiding from Elise.

And was chasing after imaginary dragons more fun than dealing with real, egotistical wizards?

Yes. Yes, it was.


	14. The Wizard's Apprentice

**_(A/N: This is kind of important. I'm trying to decide if I should continue writing this story or start a new one. The new one would be a follow up to this one. Raeger the Wizard is kind of silly but is supposed to have some serious moments, whereas this new story would be mostly serious, focusing more on adventure/action/relationships, especially Raeger and Annie. I would be grateful if you could tell me which one you'd prefer I focus on!)_**

Chapter Fourteen: The Wizard's Apprentice

Knock, knock.

Annie rolled over in her sleep, hardly noticing the pitter-patter knocking on her door.

A few minutes later, there came an astonishing crash from outside and Annie was brought out of her slumber.

She ran to the door and flung it open to see Melanie standing there.

"What in the world was that noise?" Annie asked the little girl.

"S- Sorry! I was waiting for you to answer the door and… I noticed all your animals had been left outside… so I tried herding them in but they were really angry… so one of your cows came charging at me and, um..." Melanie finished her tale there.

Annie looked out over her farm and was mortified to see the chaos.

"I need to spend more time on farm work," she murmured to herself. She'd spent all night studying magic with Raeger and had been too tired to put her animals back inside.

"Annie, I came by today because I wanted to know if you were better. You know, since you were so quiet before," Melanie explained.

"Oh. Yes, I'm fine. No need to worry!" Annie said enthusiastically.

"Good! In that case, do you want to play a game today?" Melanie asked.

"I think I'm going to be too busy today," Annie replied, looking around her farm.

"I understand. There's still one thing I want to know, so can I talk to you while you work?" Melanie requested and Annie accepted.

Annie started off by calming her animals down and herding them indoors. After that, she started fixing up all the fences that had been broken by the rampaging cow.

While she did this, Melanie asked her, "What was it that upset you and made you so quiet anyway?"

Annie was startled by the question and stopped working abruptly. She tried to think of a lie and settled on replying with, "I was really worried about something but it's all sorted out now."

"But what was it? Did it have something to do with a certain person?" Melanie asked.

Annie was slow to respond again. Eventually, she murmured, "Yes."

"Are you in love with this person?!" Melanie asked, sure she had come to the right conclusion.

"NO!" Annie immediately replied. Melanie wasn't fooled.

"It's okay, Annie! Your secret's safe with me!" Melanie said. She stopped a moment and questioned, "Hang on a second, if the matter's been resolved, does that mean that you're dating them now?"

"No, I'm not dating anyone! I'm not in love with anyone!" Annie shouted, unconvincingly.

"Who is it, who is it, who is it?" Melanie asked.

"There's nobody, I swear," Annie cried.

Unfortunately, there was no convincing Melanie. She left Annie's farm that day, completely sure of her discovery. Annie only hoped nothing bad would come of it.

Later that day, Annie went by Raeger's restaurant for another class. Raeger mostly tutored Annie on Wednesdays when he didn't have any work to do.

Today, Raeger was showing Annie several kinds of herbs. Some she was familiar with and others she was not. She was astounded after Raeger had shown her them all.

"I can't believe all these herbs have magical qualities! I would never have guessed," she spoke in awe.

"What are you talking about? This is a cooking class," Raeger replied.

"What? But… you should have told me that earlier," Annie grumbled.

Raeger laughed, showing that he had clearly intended to trick Annie all along.

At the end of this lesson, Raeger said, "Would you like to do something else for me, Apprentice?"

"Hmm? Yes, sir!" Annie answered obediently.

Raeger ruffled her hair condescendingly and continued, "In that case, there's a purple flower growing out in the wilderness. Go find it, Apprentice! And with it, we shall cast a spell to mess with Elise!"

Annie nodded her head and set off. She ran out of the restaurant and along the street but was stopped by Angela.

"Annie, you look exhausted! I suggest you head to the clinic at once," Angela advised.

Annie realised then that she did feel tired, but she replied, "That's okay. I'll just go ask Raeger to cook me something to eat."

"I really think you should let Marian check up on you. Even if Raeger uses magic in his food," Angela whispered.

Annie thought about it for a moment and then accepted Angela's advice.

"Okay, I'll stop by the clinic. But before I do, I want to ask you something. What do you think about all the 'people who know Raeger's a wizard' getting together a few days from now?" Annie suggested.

"Oh, um, yes, that would be great," Angela murmured, trying to hide her smile.

"I'll go to the clinic and then head around, telling the others about the get together!" Annie said and set off once more.


	15. Dragons Are Just Lizards With Wings

Chapter Fifteen: Dragons Are Just Lizards With Wings

Mistel entered the cave Artemis lived in, feeling joyful since he knew he'd see his beloved dragon today.

The moment Artemis saw him, she let out a squeal and ran over to him, climbed up his body starting at his right foot, and onto his shoulder where she commenced nuzzling his cheek.

"Oh, yes, I love you too," Mistel responded adoringly, taking Artemis in his arms.

He cradled her with one arm and tickled her underbelly with his free hand, causing Artemis to laugh in the way that dragons laugh.

They were both in such a good mood that they would never have expected what was to happen next.

Iris had spent the last week or so fretting over Mistel's behaviour, and at last she could wait no longer. She had followed Mistel to the safari secretly.

Iris entered the cave and exclaimed, "Aha! So this is where you have been-" Suddenly, she let out a shriek and, pointing at Artemis, yelled, " **What is that thing?!** "

Although Mistel and Artemis were both in shock, Mistel instinctively shouted back, "She is not a _thing_!" Artemis latched onto Mistel's shoulder in fear.

"Get away from that thing!" Iris screamed.

"I can't believe how rude you're being! You're hurting her feelings!" Mistel replied.

Iris wondered if she had gone mad. "It's a… lizard-y thing! It doesn't have feelings!" she snapped.

Artemis whimpered and hid behind Mistel's head.

"See! Can't you see how upset she is?" Mistel cried.

"Mistel, get that thing off of you and come with me. We're leaving," Iris said firmly.

Mistel narrowed his eyes and said defiantly, "That's Mama Mistel to you, Iris."

"Mama? Mama Mistel?" Iris questioned in disbelief. She couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"There's nothing to fear from Artemis," Mistel said, walking over to Iris while she was busy laughing. He held Artemis up to her face before she could do a thing.

Iris leaned back but soon found she was up against a wall and escape was impossible. Artemis leaned forward and sniffed the tip of Iris' nose while Iris held her breath, trying not to scream.

They stared at one another for quite some time, exchanging opinions with their eyes.

Finally Iris spoke. "It's so adorable!" she exclaimed.

"Mee-e-ep!" Artemis replied.

"Her name is Artemis," Mistel explained.

Iris felt like taking Artemis up in her arms and snuggling her but wasn't sure if it was all right.

Meanwhile, Raeger was at Agate's house and they were chatting.

"Annie seems to be working tirelessly, which is odd, considering her farm's a mess," Agate said.

"Ah, she just loves doing anything she can for me," Raeger sighed.

"...Huh? Are you making her do things for you?" Agate asked.

"By the way, do you have a plan for when Artemis is fully grown? The cave she's in at the moment is a little small," Raeger commented, sidestepping Agate's question.

"It'll be okay. I can just dig out some more room in the cave eventually. It's a little annoying that I can't teach her to transform until she's fully grown, but oh well," Agate said.

"Might I be able to help out with that? I think I'd be good at helping her tap into her draconic magic," Raeger said.

"Well, you can't teach her anything until we teach her how to speak. On that note, she's probably old enough that we could start teaching her some words. Do you want to help out with that?" Agate asked.

"Sure! I know a couple of words in draconic tongue," Raeger said.

"…I was talking about teaching her English. But okay, you can help me teach her both," Agate mumbled.

"How is Artemis today, by the way?" Raeger continued.

"You know what, I haven't seen her since morning. I should go check on her," Agate said and with that, they went separate ways.

Agate headed for the safari and when she entered Artemis' cave, she was horrified to find Iris and Mistel playing with her little sister.

"Mistel! I told you to tell nobody that there was a dragon here!" Agate yelled.

"I didn't tell Iris! She came here of her own free will! It's your fault! You should have stopped her!" Mistel retorted.

Agate was in despair. Far too many people knew about Artemis' existence now.

"Um… did you say dragon?" Iris murmured.

Agate groaned and fell to her knees, grumbling to herself, "Are you kidding me?"

"Yes, Artemis is a dragon!" Mistel explained.

"Hmmm… Well, she's absolutely adorable!" Iris continued, playing with Artemis again.

From that day on, Agate decided she needed to increase security at the safari. She focused on that above all else for days.

While she was busily thinking up ways to keep people out of the safari, Mistel mentioned to her, "Don't you think Artemis is getting bigger these days? She won't be able to sit on my shoulder much longer since she's getting so heavy."

"Well, that makes sense. She's going to get very big," Agate replied absent mindedly.

"Uh… How big do dragons get?" Mistel asked nervously.

Agate thought about it for a moment, then said, "Do you see that mountain over there?"

Mistel looked to where Agate pointed and answered fearfully, "Yes?"

"About as big as that mountain," Agate replied.

 _ **(A/N: And now I have to take a break from the story again until I unlock Nadi.)**_


End file.
